Evaluating Green Infrastructure Performance Using Real-Time Control from a Risk Perspective - Villanova University

As part of the National Science Foundation Partnerships for Innovation: Building Innovation Capacity grant (NSF 13-587), Villanova University has teamed with OptiRTC to design and retrofit existing green infrastructure (GI) systems at Villanova University with real-time control (RTC) technology to evaluate system performance and investigate the role of automated, self- learning controls within traditional GI design. The performance of the GI treatment train has been monitored since 2012. The GI treatment train was retrofit with RTC in 2016. System hydrologic performance at the GI treatment train was monitored to determine volume capture performance changes with the implementation of real-time controls. Increasing the adaptive capacity of the system potentially decreases the risk of system overflow. Initial modelling comparison of the passive and RTC treatment train show a reduction in volume and frequency of overflow events for the RTC system. Future research at this site will include developing a risk-based method to assess GI practices and determining how implementing real-time control affects the risk of overflow.